Postcard from Nagoya: Konbini onigiris are a lifesaver, but where are the bins?

NAGOYA – The violent shuddering of a washing machine briefly broke my train of thought.

From the outside, this laundromat in Nagoya, in which I was working, looked fairly unassuming. Inside, however, it was a microcosm of Japanese convenience.

Next to my laptop was an iced matcha I had bought from the vending machine just a few steps from the table I was sitting at, which was equipped with charging sockets.

Beside it was a machine dispensing yakisoba, pasta and ramen, while near the entrance stood several gachapons – capsule toy vending machines – waiting to be fed coins.

A cafe, laundromat and capsule toy stop all under one roof.

Welcome to Japan, the land of comfort.

Vending machines stocked with anything you can think of lurk at every corner.

So do konbinis – 24-hour convenience stores – where a quick stop can yield anything from a hot meal to coffee, onigiri (rice balls) and sandos (Japanese-style sandwich) and even clothes.

The convenience store concept arrived in Japan in the late 60s and in 1974, the country’s first 7-Eleven opened in Tokyo.

Early stores struggled to find their place, but things started to change when they introduced 24-hour operations in 1975, catering to the needs of Japan’s growing population of urban workers.

What really made konbinis successful was how they adapted to Japanese tastebuds.

Rather than just simply copying the American convenience store model, they began offering staples such as the onigiri in 1978.

Nearly 60 years later, there are about 56,000 konbinis across the country.

The appeal of the konbini is not simply their ubiquity, but how much they pack in such a small space.

Japan-loving Singaporeans will be familiar with the big three of Lawson, FamilyMart and 7-Eleven – each boasting their own speciality egg sandwich and desserts – while aficionados can also name Seicomart, Ministop and Daily Yamazaki.

Amid the frantic schedule of covering the Asian Games, konbinis have become a lifeline, especially with some days stretching past midnight.

After watching sprinters hurtle down the track at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium this past week, I found myself making my own 100m dash – from my hotel to the nearest konbini – to answer an equally urgent call: My growling stomach.

Offerings include bento sets, pasta and the quintessentially Japanese yakisoba pan – a bun stuffed with stir-fried noodles.

Fluffy maple syrup pancakes have become a favourite among our team and at one of the 7-Elevens, I came across a bag of pancake mix – perfect for satisfying the inevitable pancake withdrawals when we get back to Singapore.

The stores have also come to the rescue in less appetising circumstances.

When I fell sick during the Games, they became a quick stop for vitamin drinks and masks.

One can also get dressed at a konbini, these stores carry an assortment of clothes, socks, hats and even underwear.

During a Games assignment, where meals are scoffed down on the run and plans can change at a moment’s notice (hello, surprise medal), it is reassuring to know that almost anything you need is just a short walk away.

Though for a country of convenience, there is an inconvenience that one runs into daily: Hunting for an elusive bin to throw that rubbish in.

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Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.